This was a wonderful Boxing Day surprise present which came wrapped up in tinsel and bells and inside was a Tweenies extravaganza.

My youngsters, aged five and two and-a-half, were still dizzy with the excitement of Christmas Day... but taking them to Tweenies Live at the NIA was truly the icing on the festive cake.

The show is filled to the brim with music, dancing, audience participation... and even a bit of panto thrown in for good measure (and a couple of jokes for the Mums and Dads too!)

From the moment Bella, Fizz, Milo and Jake appeared on the giant multi-coloured 'Tweenie Clock' stage the hundreds of girls and boys who'd come to see them were clapping, dancing and singing along with sackfuls of enthusiasm and excitement.

The Tweenies asked their faithful fans if they would like it to be Christmas Eve all over again... and, of course, the answer was a giant roar 'yes!'.

The youngsters were then instructed to close their eyes and wish as hard as they could for the clocks to be turned back to that magical day once again.

I looked to my side to see my children's bright little faces scrunched up, teeth and fists clenched... wishing their hearts away to return to the night when Santa would be making his deliveries...

And when they opened their eyes they found the Tweenies had made their wish come true... and so started once more all the joy, fun and anticipation of December 24.

Doodles and Izzles dressed up as reindeer and took the foursome off on a sleigh ride and there was even a magical snowfall... which prompted a collective 'aaah!' from the kids and parents alike.

Santa's mystical appearance behind a thin haze at the back of the stage towards the end of the performance was pitched just right... and the whole show had plenty of creative lighting, pyrotechnics and special effects to make for the perfect way to spend Boxing Day afternoon for the young - and the young at heart.